Fusee or flare holder



Dec. H, 3956 A, D ROSE FUsEE oR FLARE HOLDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan.'15, 1953 lvlUN l .M '--I-F- 4 ATTE! R N EYE Dec il, 195% A. D. ROSE2,773,662

FUSEE OR 'llLARE HOLDER Filed Jan. l5, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

FUSEE R FLARE HOLDER Archie D. Rose, Laramie, Wyo.

Application .lanuary 15, 1953, Serial No. 331,339

4 Claims. (Cl. 246-488) This invention relates to devices for holding afusee or flare, particularly on a trainmans or switchmans lantern.

It not infrequently happens that a traininans signal is required to begiven through the use of a fusee. In the past the trainman who carriesone or more fusees has ignited the fusee and held it in his hand whilegiving the required signal. A great many men have been seriously burnedin signaling with a fusee; furthermore, because of the danger of beingburned thereby, a burning fusee is sometimes dropped, occasioning asevere tire hazard.

lt is the general purpose and object of this invention to eliminate thenecessity for a trainman holding in his hand a tusee when required togive a signal therewith and to provide means by which he may employ aconventional traininans lantern equipped with means for holding a fuseein signaling position for giving signals with the fusee.

The conventional type of usee is provided with a pin having a point onthe extended end extended from the base thereof and whereas this pin isadapted to be inserted in the ground at the side of a road bed, or in awood tie, it is often necessary to hold the fusee by a hand and in suchinstances there is danger of burning the hand. With this thought in mindthis invention contemplates a bracket having an elongated barrel withpin gripping elements therein extended from a base with the base adaptedto be secured, preferably by welding or braising, to the outer surfaceof the housing of a lantern whereby with the barrel extended over theend opposite to the end from which the handle extends a fusee may besupported in an extended .position in relation to the housing of thelantern.

The yobject of this invention is, therefore, to provide means on thehousing of a trainmans or switchmans lantern for releasably holding afusee or flare with the fusee or flare in a position extended from thelantern.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bracket for retaining afusee or flare -on a lantern in which the bracket may be attached to thehousing of a lantern without changing the housing or other part of thelantern.

A further object of the invention is to provide a bracket for retaininga fusee or the like in position on a lantern in which the bracket is lofa simple and economical construction.

With these and other objects and advantages-in view the inventionembodies a bracket having an elongated barrel with clamping meanstherein and having a cam with a handle extended therefrom pivotallymounted in the barrel and positioned to actuate the clamping meansthereof, and an offset base extended from one end of the barrel andproviding means for mounting the bracket on the housing of a lantern orthe like.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from thefollowing description taken in connection with the drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view showing a 'trainmans or switchmanslantern with a fusee, part of which nited States PatentO 2,773,662Patented Dec. 1l, 1956 ICC is broken away, carried by a bracketpositioned on the side of the lantern.

Figure 2 is a view similar to that shown in Fig. 1 taken at a point at aright angle to the view shown in Fig. 1 and showing a side elevationalview of the bracket.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section through the bracket with the partsthereof in released position, and with the end of the handle of the cambroken away.

Figure 4 is a sectional plan through the cam mounting of the brackettaken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3 and with part of the barrel of the bracketbroken away.

Figure 5 is a cross section through the outer end of the barrel of thebracket taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 3 showing the gripping end of theclamping lever.

Figure 6 is a longitudinal section through the bracket similar to thatshown in Fig. 3 showing the parts in the position wherein a pin of afusee is clamped in the barrel of the bracket.

Figure 7 is a plan view of a fusee holding bracket illustrating amodification wherein the end of the body of the fusee is gripped betweenthreaded jaws with a nut having an eccentrically positioned openingtherein, the gripping jaws and nut being shown in section.

Figure 8 is a longitudinal section through the bracket shown in Fig. 7showing the parts with the body of the fusee omitted.

Figure 9 is a cross section through the gripping end of the bracketshown in Fig. 7 illustrating the position of the eccentricallypositioned opening in relation to the jaws of the bracket.

Figure 10 is a section similar to that shown in Fig. 9 showing the nutturned to degrees.

Figure 11 is an end elevational view of the bracket shown in Fig. 7.

Figure 12 is a side elevational view of a bracket illustrating anothermodification wherein a plurality of threaded gripping jaws are clampedby a nut against the end of the body of a fusee.

Figure 13 is an end elevational view of the bracket shown in Fig. 12.

Figure 14 is a plan view of a bracket similar to that shown in Figs. lto 6 with a plurality of cam actuated gripping jaws positioned in atubular casing, the casing and jaw mounting elements being shown insection.

Figure 15 is a longitudinal section through the bracket shown in Fig.14.

Figure 16 is a cross section through the bracket shown in Fig. 14 beingtaken on line 16--16 thereof.

Figure 17 is a longitudinal section through a fusee holding bracket,also somewhat similar to the bracket shown in Figs. 1 to 6 andillustrating a further modification wherein a pin of the fusee isgripped by a plurality of balls adapted to be actuated by a toggleaction.

Figure 18 is a longitudinal section similar to that shown in Fig. 17showing the center of the toggle moved across the center to the positionin which the .pin of the fusee is locked in the barrel of the bracket.

Figure 19 is a cross section through the barrel shown in Figs` 17 and'18 being taken on line 19-19 of Fig. 17.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters denotecorresponding parts the fusee holding bracket of this invention includesa barrel 11B having an offset base 11, a clamping lever 12 pivot-allymounted in a slot 13 in the barrel with a pin 14 and having a grippingjaw 15 on one end and a cam 16 pivotally mounted in a slot 17 in thebarrel with -a pin 18 and having a handle 19 extended from one sidewhereby the cam is adapted to be actuated to move the lever 12 from theposition shown in Fig. `3 to that shown in Fig. 6.

The extended end of the barrel 1'0 -is provided with a bore 20 that ispositioned to receive a pin 21 on the end of a fusee for flare, asAindicated by the numeral 22 and,

Traces as illustrated in Fig. 6, the jaw of the lever 12 is adapted toexten-d into the bore to grip the pin 21, as shown in Fig. 6.

The base 11 of the bracket may be secured to the outer surface of ahousing 23 of a lantern by welding, braising, or other suitable means,`or the base may be provided with openings 24 and 25 by which it may besecured to the housing with bolts, rivets, or the like. A handle 23a isprovided on the lantern housing 23 to facilitate transporting andmanipulation of such lantern and a fusee or are supported thereon.

With the parts arranged in this manner the bracket is mounted on thehousing of a trainmans or switchmans lantern with the pin receiving endof the barrel extended beyond the end of the housing whereby a pin of afusee may readily be inserted in the bore 2i) thereof and with the pinin the bore the cam 16 is actuated by the lever 19 to rock the lever 12whereby the jaw 15 grips the pin and thereby retains the fusee inposition on the housing of the lantern.

ln the design shown in Figs. 7 to 11, inclusive, a bracket having a base26 with openings 27 and 28 therein is provided with spaced offset jaws29 and 30, on the ends or" which an externally threaded ring 31 ispositioned. The ring 31 is provided with an eccentrically positionedopening 32 that coacts with a similar eccentrioally positioned opening34 in a nut 33 which is threaded on the ring. With the parts Iarrangedin this manner the end 35 of the body of a fusee is placed through theopenings 32 and 34 and positioned with the end between the innersurfaces of the ring and nut whereby upon turning the nut the fusee isgripped between one side of the eccentrically positioned opening 34 andthe -ring 31, and the inner surface of the nut, as illustrated in Fig. 7whereby the fusee is gripped in the end of the bracket.

lin the design illustrated in Figs. 12 and` 13 an externally threaded-section of a tubular casing` 38 is provided with slits 39 providing aplurality of gripping jaws 40 and a nut 41 threaded on the outersurfaces of the jaws forces the jaws inwardly into gripping relationwith the end of a fusee positioned therein. The tubular casing 38extends yfrom a base 42, similar tothe base 11 with a cylindricalsection 43 connecting the base to the tubular section.

In the design illustrated in Figs. 14, 15, and 16 a plurality of splitjaws 44 having ends with tapering surfaces 45 and carried by acylindrical base 46 are slidably mounted in a tube 47, similar to thebarrel 1.0 and the beveled surfaces 45 are positioned to coact with atapering surface 48 at the end of the bore 49 of the tube whereby withthe jaws drawn inwardly by cams 50 and 51 of a lever 52 the jaws areforced inwardly gripping a pin, such as the pin 21 of a fusee ZZV/iththe pin eX- tended inwardly from the end of the barrel or tube. Themember 46 is provided with a tongue 53 that extends between the cams 50and 51 and the tongue is pivotally mounted in the cams with a pin 54.

The cams 5t) and 51 bear against the end of the tube 47 for drawing thejaws into gripping relation with a pin of a fusee and upon moving thelever 52 outwardly the jaws may be moved in the opposite direction torelease the pin.

The tube 47 extends from -a base 55 which may be similar to the base 11.

In the design illustrated in Figs. 17, 18 and 19 a barrel 56, whichextends from a base 57 is provided with a bore 58 into which a pin 59 ofa fusee, similar to the fusee 22 is gripped with balls 60 actuated by abar 61 extended from toggle levers 62 and 63 -in a cavity 64 at the endof the barrel, the levers being actuated by a button 65. The button 65is provided with a stem 66, y, the extended end of which is pivotallyconnected by a pin 67 to the levers 62 and 63am! with the lever 63pivotally mounted by a pin 68 in the end of the barrel the opposite sideof the toggle drives the bar 61 against the balls 60 as the buton 65 ismoved inwardly with the pin 67 moving across the center between the pin68 and the pin 69 by which the lever 63 is pivotally connected to thebar 61. The button 65 may be drawn outwardly to release the togglelevers whereby the pin of the fusee may also be released. The cavity 64in the end of the barrel may beV provided with a cover plate, asindicated by the numeral 70 and the plate may be provided with a slot 71through which the stem 66 of the button extends.

With the parts formed as disclosed a bracket, such as illustrated in thediierent designs is mounted on one side of the housing of a trainmans orswitchmans lantern with the open end of the barrel or tubular casingextended beyond the end of the lantern housing whereby with the bore oropening in the extended end of the barrel open pin of a fusee or Hare,or the base of a fusee or flare may be inserted and clamped in the endof the barrel. By this means the fusee may be held by hand withoutdanger of burning the hand or the lantern with the iiare extendedtherefrom may be positioned on a railroad or other roadway. The usedfusee or flare may readily be removed and replaced as desired.

It will be understood, that other modiiications, within the scope of theappended claims, may be made in the design and arrangement of the partswithout departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A lantern .and fusee holder comprising a portable lante-rn having ahousing and a carrying handle to facilitate transporting andmanipulation of said lantern and a fusee for signalling while supportedthereon, a base secured' to said housing and having au open-ended casingmember directed outwardly away from said housing and from said handle toreceive the end of a fusee placed within said casing member, releasablegripping means carried by said casing member and engageable with the endof the fusee to retain same within said casing member with the fuseeprojecting outwardly away from and beyond said housing and also awayfrom said handle so that the lantern and fusee during burning forsignalling purposes may be manipulated by grasping the handle withoutthe operator being burned by the fusee flame, and actuating meansoperatively connected with said releasable gripping means to enablerapid release of said gripping means from engagement with the fusee andthereby free the usee after use without necessitating direct manualcontact with the spent usee.

2. A lantern and fusee holder as recited in claim l wherein saidactuating means includes a lever for operating said releasable grippingmeans,

3. A lantern and fusee holder as recited in claim 1 wherein saidactuating means includes a toggle linkage for operating said releasablegripping means.

4. A lantern and fusee holder as recited in claim 1 wherein saidactuating means includes threaded means for operating said releasablegripping means.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSBroshears Nov. 14, 1950

